MLL

Hunt, Burke, Thompson Win MLL Awards

from press release

BRIGHTON, Mass. – Major League Lacrosse,
the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, announced Monday
its weekly award winners for the week ending June 12, 2011,
according to MLL Commissioner David Gross. Midfielder Ben Hunt of
the Chesapeake Bayhawks was named as the MLL Offensive Player of
the Week while Boston Cannons goalkeeper Jordan Burke earned the
league’s Defensive Player of the Week honor.

In addition, midfielder Jeremy Thompson of the Hamilton Nationals
was named as the recipient of the Cascade MLL Rookie of the Week
award.

Hunt scored a career-high five goals, including a two-point goal,
and added three assists as the Bayhawks handed the Denver Outlaws
their first loss of the season with a 16-15 overtime decision at
INVESCO Field at Mile High on Saturday night. Honored as the Bud
Light Player of the Game, Hunt also scored the game-winning goal
just 1:07 into overtime off a pass from midfielder Steven Brooks as
the Bayhawks overcame a four-point deficit to earn the victory.

Hunt, who had scored just one goal in his first three games this
season, is the Bayhawks’ third-leading scorer this season
with 10 points. He has scored six goals, including a two-point
marker, and added three assists in four games for the Bayhawks, who
are tied for first place in the MLL standings with a 3-1
record.

In leading the Boston Cannons to a 19-8 victory over the Long
Island Lizards, Burke posted a career-high 24 saves and allowed
just seven goals as the Cannons earned their second straight win.
Named as the Bud Light Player of the Game, Burke made nine of his
saves in the second quarter as the Cannons held Long Island
scoreless for nearly 21 minutes while building a 9-4 lead they did
not relinquish.

Burke’s 24 saves are the most by any goalkeeper in the MLL
this season.

Burke, who was making his second straight start, leads the MLL with
a 9.53 goals against average and a .651 save percentage. In the
last two games, the Brown University graduate has posted a 9.50
goals against average while stopping 66.0 per cent of the shots he
has faced.

Making his MLL debut, Thompson scored two goals to help the
Nationals earn their first victory of the season, a 14-13 win over
the Rochester Rattlers on Friday night at Sahlen’s Stadium.
He scored his first career goal just 51 seconds into the second
quarter to give Hamilton a 4-3 lead before adding a goal in the
third quarter, which gave the Nationals a 9-7 cushion.

The sixth overall pick in the 2011 MLL Collegiate Draft, Thompson
helped Syracuse University reach the quarter-finals of the NCAA
Men’s Lacrosse Championship as a senior. A third team USILA
All-America selection as a senior, Thompson led all Syracuse
midfielders with 30 points, scoring 18 goals with 12 assists. He
also led the Orange with 61 face-off wins.

The MLL season continues this week with three games. On Thursday
night, the Bayhawks will travel to Long Island to face the Lizards
in a televised affair on ESPN2. On Saturday, the Cannons visit the
Rattlers while Denver looks to return to its winning ways against
the Nationals.